Shotgun Ice (ショットガンアイス,Shottogan Aisu?) is the Special Weapon that X obtains from defeating Chill Penguin in Mega Man X and Mega Man Xtreme. In its normal state, X fires a shard of ice that can freeze and/or damage a target. Upon collision, smaller shards will be fanned out in the opposite direction. When charged, a sled composed of ice is created that X can stand upon and ride for a short period of time. In Mega Man X, the sled merely travels along the ground until it hits a wall and shatters on impact. In Mega Man Xtreme, however, this sled will ricochet off of a wall for a few times before disappearing.

In Mega Man X, Spark Mandrill, Bospider, and Velguarder are especially weak to Shotgun Ice. In Mega Man Xtreme, aside from the former two bosses, Zain is also weak to this weapon as well. In Spark Mandrill's case, in Mega Man X and its remake, Mega Man Maverick Hunter X, it is possible for the player to trap this boss in a loop by repeatedly firing Shotgun Ice at Mandrill the moment after he breaks free from the ice. The timing varies between the two games - such as Mandrill breaking free much faster in Maverick Hunter X - but with proper timing, it is possible for X to defeat this boss with Shotgun Ice without taking damage or even moving.

For Vile, in order to inflict damage on him with Shotgun Ice, the player must have saved their game after completing such mode and then starting Hard Mode from that save file -- Shotgun Ice will otherwise be unavailable for the player if they begin Hard Mode from the title screen.

Screenshots

Mega Man X

Mega Man X using Shotgun Ice.

Mega Man X firing a Shotgun Ice projectile against a wall, causing it to split.

Mega Man Xtreme

Trivia

In Mega Man X, because obtaining the Foot Parts for the First Armor is mandatory in Chill Penguin's stage as the capsule blocks the way to the boss, it is impossible to obtain Shotgun Ice while not wearing any piece of the armor under normal circumstances. To circumvent this, a special password or a code from an external cheating device (such as a Game Genie or a Pro Action Replay) must be input.

In Mega Man Xtreme, this same "problem" also occurs. Until X obtains all of the Parts for the completed Armor, the Foot Parts (and any other pieces thereof) will not be visible on X in that game.

This problem is fixed in the remake, Mega Man Maverick Hunter X, as the Foot Parts are no longer in the way, or even in that same stage for that matter.